Game Manuals. Read them?

[Broady Brio]

Personally I do when I'm waiting for the game to load *ahem Fallout 3.

So do you read the little manual that comes with the game? Or just go into the game head first?

 

[Andalusa]

Sometimes.
Not to find out controls or anything like that, more to get some background info for the storyline if any of it's in there, maybe the character bios... they can quite entertaining to read.

 

[PartyMonkey]

Hells to the no I wanna play the game not read about the game there isn't that much time in the world.

 

[Lazy Kitty]

Sometimes, when I can't find out the controls intuitively, or sometimes just to amuse myself. (I can remember doing that with the manual for Pokemon Yellow.)

 

[Simmo8591]

Always read the GTA ones, very funny

 

[Canadian Fodder]

First thing I do on the bus back home. Or if my consol/computer isn't working I reread them over and over again.

 

[crudus]

I almost never do, but I do smell them.

 

[Armored Prayer]

All the time.

Its useful for understanding the controls. Plus the manuals come with a little prequel story explaining whats the games about.

 

[headshotcatcher]

I read them during the installation or during loading screens while first playing them. But other than that, no.

 

[HardRockSamurai]

Not really. It depends on the game (i.e- for most Sandbox games, I'll skim through the manual, but for most FPS games everything you need to know is explained in-game.)

 

[Nevyrmoore]

Yes. I'm also one of those people who quite often spout the phrase "RTFM"

 

[matsugawa]

I usually dive in head-first, then limp back to the manual once I've gotten my posterior handed to me on a bloody silver platter.

I think it's a good move that most games have 'in-game' tutorials, but it seems like it comes at the expense of the manuals. I remember the days when manuals (and even some strategy guides) actually ADDED to the gaming experience, either with good artwork or even back-stories by way of prologues, profiles, and even comics once a great while. It's terribly nostalgic and sentimental, but the fact that the manuals were genuinely tangible gave the games a little more credibility.

 

[Xaryn Mar]

always sometimes you get useful information and/or background for the story.

 

[Radeonx]

It depends. For FPS games, no, but for RPG or Sandbox games, yes.

 

[hamster mk 4]

I usualy read the manual while waiting for the game to load. I like manuals that explain the back story so the game doesn't have to be burdened with cinimatics.

 

[Julianking93]

No. Games today always have like 3 hour long tutorials [small/]*cough GTAIV *cough[/small] so there's no point in it.

 

[AlphaOmega]

Most of the times yes, I loved the little bits of lore in diablo2 for example.

 

[joe182]

I almost never do, but I do smell them.

This.
New manual smell... mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

 

[Ophiuchus]

I always read them - partly because it's nice to get a grasp of the controls just in case there's not a tutorial section, but largely because it still makes me grin when I remember how much it used to annoy my little brother, the 'jump in at the deep end' kind of gamer that he is.

 

[Cheery Lunatic]

Yes. I'm also one of those people who quite often spout the phrase "RTFM"

Same. I actually LIKE reading the manual.